Have mothers who make their babies go VEGAN lost the plot? They insist it’s a healthy and ethical choice – but experts say they could cause lasting harm
- Experts warn that a healthy vegan diet can be healthy but must be done right
- A study of veganism found a lack of nutrients such as vitamin B12 is damaging
- Paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton agrees that vegan diet requires careful attention
To the parents of fussy eaters, the idea of a child who begs for broccoli and happily tucks into a pile of beans, pulses and tofu sounds like an impossible dream. Surely, such a child does not exist?
Well, he does. One-year-old Dylan Bammeke’s favourite meal is dahl curry with rice or sweet potato mash, and you’ll never see him pulling a ‘yuck’ face when given a veggie stir-fry.
Dylan eats this way because it’s all he has ever known. He may not be old enough to pronounce the word ‘vegan’ — but he is one. Toddler staples such as chicken nuggets, fish fingers or boiled egg and soldiers have never made their way on to his plate.
One-year-old Dylan Bammeke’s favourite meal is dahl curry with rice or sweet potato mash, and you’ll never see him pulling a ‘yuck’ face when given a veggie stir-fry. The youngster is pictured with his mother Layla who says raising her baby to be vegan has been met with derision from some
Dylan’s mother, Layla, admits her decision to feed her son a plant-based diet has raised eyebrows. Is it morally right, or even healthy, to enforce such a strict eating regime on a growing child, many ask.
Layla, 39, says raising her baby to be vegan has been met with derision from some.
‘I’ve had people accuse me of child abuse, and had comments such as, “You should let him have the choice to eat meat,” and, “He won’t grow properly,”’ says Layla, a business studies student who’s been vegan since 2016.
She lives in Woolwich, South-East London, with Dylan, 16 months, and her fiance Eddie, 50, a film director, who’s also vegan. Before weaning her son, Layla sought advice from her GP — and certainly her little boy is a picture of health, with sparkling eyes, glowing skin and weight and height just as they should be.
Even so, Layla’s been stigmatised and has lost friends. ‘I’ve lost three friends who don’t agree with what they see as my “militant” ways. They were vile on social media, too, telling me I’d make my baby ill and that I’m denying him a choice in life.
‘It’s interesting because my view is that I didn’t have a choice as a child. I was given meat and fish to eat and told to clean my plate. I expect Dylan to be curious and maybe even rebellious about meat in the future. I hope he understands why he’s vegan, and I will try not to freak out if he tries meat and dairy when he’s older.’
There are an estimated 3.5 million vegans in the UK — 7 per cent of the population — who eschew meat, fish, dairy and any other products that derive from the killing of an animal or from agricultural practices that exploit living creatures.
This includes honey and foods containing such ingredients as gelatine or animal fats.
Food manufacturers have also responded to soaring demand for vegan foods, with companies such as Babease and Piccolo offering vegan food for little ones. But while there are milk alternatives for adults, there is still no vegan baby formula milk in the UK.
But just how safe is it to raise a child as a vegan and is it really possible for them to get the vital nutrients they need? While many experts note that a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy for children, they also warn that it must be done properly.
A study of veganism in children at University College London concluded that a lack of nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, zinc and high-quality protein (found in meat and dairy) can lead to malnutrition and ‘irreversible damage’ to their nervous systems.
Professor Mary Fewtrell warned: ‘It is difficult to ensure a healthy and balanced vegan diet in young infants. The risks of getting it wrong can include irreversible cognitive damage and, in the extreme, death.’
Left: vegan mother and son Amy Venables and son Bodhi, 13 months. Right: Karris McCulloch pictured with her family Casey, 7, and Tyler, 2, who are vegan
Paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton agrees that while a vegan diet shouldn’t be labelled good or bad, it requires very careful attention.
‘Children need lots of energy and very nutrient dense foods in order to grow, for bone and teeth accrual, and for their brains to develop.
‘A wholefood vegan diet is typically low in fat and high in fibre, and essentially low in calories, which has the potential to affect how much energy and nutrients children are able to consume.
‘When reviewing the diet of a vegan child, I scrutinise it to ensure it includes the nutrients which are essential for children — namely iron, calcium, vitamin B12, iodine, selenium, vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids. They are harder to obtain from a vegan diet, so many youngsters require supplements.
‘Iron deficiency can also impact on children’s weight, appetite and energy, and increase the risk of coughs and colds.
‘Too little protein can lead to stunted growth, while too much fibre can cause children to feel full too quickly, stopping them getting enough food.’
Thirty-six-year-old Iida van der Byl-Knoefel, from Surrey, went vegan four years ago in a quest for better health after being diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis.
When her son Johannes was born in August 2017, she was resolute that he’d eventually be weaned onto a vegan diet — a decision that her non-vegan husband Fred, 36, a banker, supported.
She says other people’s concerns about them raising their son as a vegan are usually dismissed when they see 19-month-old Johannes.
‘When people see my gorgeous baby — how energetic he is and how much he loves his food — their reservations usually disappear.’
Contrary to popular myth, vegans can and do breastfeed their children, since there is no cruelty involved and a mother’s milk, unlike a cow’s, was intended for human babies. Johannes will be breastfed until he is two, meaning that Iida, who is the author of vegan cookbook A Kitchen Fairytale, can be confident her baby is getting the nutrients he needs.
‘I don’t give him supplements, as breast milk is so full of goodness,’ she says. ‘I also make sure his diet is varied to ensure his nutritional needs are met. For example, he has a green smoothie pretty much every morning. This contains leafy greens such as kale and spinach, as well as hemp seeds, barley grass powder, orange and banana.
‘He also regularly eats all colours of lentils, different types of beans, wholegrains, nuts and lots of fruit and veg. His weight is perfect for his age. He’s healthy, pink-cheeked and has a terrific appetite.’ Of course, at this age, controlling what Johannes eats is a doddle compared with when children start nursery and school.
Thirty-six-year-old Iida van der Byl-Knoefel, from Surrey, went vegan four years ago in a quest for better health after being diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis. When her son Johannes was born in August 2017, she was resolute that he’d eventually be weaned onto a vegan diet — a decision that her non-vegan husband Fred, 36, a banker, supported
More challenging still will be play dates and parties brimming with ham sandwiches and fairy cakes smothered in buttercream icing.
‘Recently, a friend invited us to her child’s party and asked beforehand if Johannes could eat cake with buttercream,’ says Iida. ‘We prefer that he doesn’t and I made buns with cashew and maple cream so that he didn’t miss out.
‘But I’ve accepted that as Johannes gets older, he may want to try a burger or a non-vegan pizza with his friends. It won’t be the end of the world. I wouldn’t want him ever to think I forced him into being a vegan.’
But it’s not all plain sailing, as vegan mum Amy Venables found recently when her 16-month-old son, Bodhi, started being picky at mealtimes.
‘Although generally he eats a greater variety of foods than his non-vegan friends, there are times I’ve felt fraught because all he wants is pasta and bread,’ says Amy, 35, a marketing manager from Basingstoke who’s been vegan for six years.
‘I reassure myself that all parents have similar issues, whether their toddlers are vegan or not, and I make sure Bodhi takes a daily multivitamin.
‘But a spate of recent birthday parties has made me think more about the future because I don’t have vegan friends with children the same age.
‘Although some friends do accommodate his vegan diet, over the next few years there will be playdates and parties and one thing we’ll have to overcome is that Bodhi will want what other kids are eating.
‘I don’t want him to feel like he’s different or missing out, so I’ll probably take vegan party food for him.’
Bodhi goes to nursery three days a week, where the on-site chef makes him vegan alternatives at mealtimes, and Amy’s in-laws have him the other two days. Though not vegan themselves, they are, she says ‘brilliant’ at researching and providing food for her son.
‘I’ve had some people ask, “Are you going to make him eat vegan food?” — which is unfair as it’s no different to others giving their toddlers what they eat.
‘When Bodhi starts to comprehend that what we eat is different, I’ll explain to him in an age-appropriate manner why. I’m passionate about animal welfare, so raising Bodhi in a compassionate manner is important, and veganism is very much a lifestyle.
‘If he ever decides to eat meat, I’ll be disappointed but respectful. But I’ll never cook it in the house, because that’s against our family principles.
‘I’m hoping that by the time he’s ten, there will be a lot more vegan kids around. Unfortunately, a lot of vegans do currently fit the hippy, right-on stereotype, which doesn’t do much to help the image of veganism for those of us who are just quietly health and environmentally conscious.’
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However, dietitian Lucy Upton points out that there’s a misleading perception that the vegan diet is super-healthy. ‘Data shows that a lot of people quote health as the reason why they become vegan and certainly it can be healthy,’ she says. ‘But there are also plenty of processed and high-calorie vegan foods on the market now, plus “accidental” vegan foods which would be unhealthy in large quantities, such as certain cookies, crisps and sweets.
‘It’s so important that parents become familiar with food labels and look for vegan-friendly foods that contain good amounts of protein and calcium, and are fortified with iron and vitamin B12.’
One vegan mum who’s an expert in this respect is Karris McCulloch, 33, who with her husband Scott, 36, founded TheVeganKind, an online vegan supermarket and monthly subscription box service. They live in Glasgow with their daughter Casey, seven, and son Tyler, two.
‘I was in the early days of being a vegan when Casey was a baby so fed her a mixture of breast milk and non-vegan formula, but at a year old we decided to wean her on to a totally vegan diet,’ recalls Karris.
‘We thoroughly researched what nutrients she’d need, and we did have a few queries from acquaintances about whether she’d get enough calcium or protein.
‘But we’re lucky because both kids love healthy vegan foods. Tyler’s favourites are avocado and broccoli and Casey loves kale and spinach.’
But for vegan parents, the ‘picky’ stage — which Tyler is now going through — can be particularly worrying. ‘It bothers me when he throws his dinner on the floor as I’m conscious that I want him to get all the nutrients he needs,’ says Karris. ‘I give supplements to both children as a back-up, and I would do even if they weren’t vegan.
‘My dad accidentally gave Casey soup with ham in it once, but I accept that these things happen occasionally. Most of our friends and family now understand and accommodate the children’s diets.’
At nursery, Tyler has vegan alternatives at mealtimes such as bolognese made with soya mince. Casey takes a packed lunch of vegan sandwiches, fruit and crisps to school, because ‘other than beans on toast’ there are few options on the menu.
‘I’ve written to the school to ask for better vegan options and have had a positive response,’ says Karris. ‘None of Casey’s friends are vegan or even veggie, and I worry about kids being mean to her for being different. So far, though, they’ve just been curious.
‘At a soft-play centre a few weeks ago, her friends all had lollies containing carmine, which is essentially crushed up beetles. I explained to her that they contained insects and weren’t vegan, while offering her a vegan alternative.
‘She understands that we don’t eat animals or animal products because we believe they’re not on this Earth for us to eat or use, but she doesn’t need to be scared by the gory details at this age.
‘I don’t want our children ever to feel that we are forcing them to do something they don’t want to.
‘But knowing what we do about the meat and dairy industry, and considering how easy it is to be vegan now, I doubt they’ll want to eat animals in the future.
‘If they decide that veganism isn’t for them when they’re older, that will be their choice. But our home will always remain vegan.
‘In the meantime, whatever reservations other people have about our lifestyle, my children are incredibly healthy, fizzing with energy, love food and have very few colds — and I’m certain that’s down to their vegan diet.’
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